Euro Hustings: Take Back the Power on TTIP

North and East London World Development Movement have organised a hustings on 19 May focusing on TTIP and ISDS. Please come along and spread the word far and wide. Full details below, including Facebook event.
Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/655635101157740

Come and meet your MEP candidates and question them on their commitment to trade justice.

On Thursday 22nd May, we will be voting for candidates to represent us in the European Parliament. Europe takes decisions on important global issues, including trade.

A major trade deal – the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) – is currently being negotiated between the USA and the EU. New corporate trade deals like this threaten to increase global inequality, undermine democracy and hand public service provision to multinational companies.

• What effect will this deal have on our lives here in the UK?

• How can we ensure that this deal prioritises human rights, environmental protection and labour standards?

• How can we ensure transparency and accountability in the negotiation of these deals?

Meet your European Parliamentary election candidates and hear what they have to say on these issues and what they will do to address them, if elected on 22 May.

Questions and Answers: VideoFirst Set:
1. Why are the negotiations being held in secret?
2. ISDS – Chevron suing Ecuadorian Government, $58 million to avoid having to clean up pollution produced by their company. Novartis Government suing Indian Government to force them to change legislation to allow the company to extend their patents on drugs. How would you act to oppose ISDS if it remains in the (TTIP) agreement?Second Set:
3. Commission Consultation: What you think of the consultation. Patronising the way questions are asked or not asked. No question asked whether people want the agreement. Dumbing down on engagement with citizens. Plain offensive.
4. Why do you think Trans-National Corporations want the right to sue Sovereign Nations?
5. Seb Dance, Labour Candidate – Asking how Labour are fighting against the ISDS part of the TTIP. Should we oppose all of the TTIP?

FIRST VOTE: IF ISDS WAS ON TTIP: ARE YOU FOR OR AGAINST?: AUDIENCE - Unanimous Against (RED CARD). PANEL: Majority Against with Conservative Candidate FOR ISDS.

Third Set:
6. Friends of the Earth – Economic Benefits. Removal of non-tariff borders. Reports from chemicals, cars, business. No movement on chemicals as American standards are atrocious(they still allow asbestos, which is illegal in the UK). If no economics agreements, why are we doing TTIP at all?
7. Kyoto Agreements. US is not signatory to the Kyoto Agreement. EU countries can do the same. With TTIP, It would make it harder for the EU to introduce new emission standards.
8. Lack of media coverage.
9. KONP (Keep our NHS Public) – Health should or should not be in the agreement. If it shouldn’t include health, how can we keep the NHS out of the Agreement?

SECOND VOTE: No exemption for health on TTIP. IF HEALTH CONTINUES TO BE IN TTIP, DO YOU SUPPORT TTIP? AUDIENCE MAJORITY RED, APART FROM ONE MAN. PANELISTS AGAINST, EXCEPT FOR CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE.

More Questions about TTIP from the audience:
1. Financial Regulations. American Banks will go down to the lower European Standards. Should Banking standards become lower.
2. Labeling of GMO foods. Allergies due to GMO foods.
3. Member of KONP (Keep Our NHS Public) Chinese Army have banned GMO. Race to the bottom on food regulation (chickens washed in chlorine. Fracking – ISDS will allow corporations to sue for loss of profits.
4. Food regulations. Beef Hormones. Differences in beef hormone use between US and EU regulations.

Video

Expanding the question about Corporations.
1. Question from John of the Occupy Economics WG. Once the TTIP has been stopped, what will the candidates do to get rid of Income Inequality in Europe.
2. Climate Change. How much weight their party puts between the Corporations out for profit and the people.
3. Question from Steve of Occupy Economics. The World is Not Enough for corporations. Do we want Corporations to be our world.

THIRD VOTE ON WHETHER PEOPLE CONCLUDE THAT TTIP IS A GOOD IDEA. This is after the ISDS has been removed and the NHS is exempted from the agreement.

From the photos, you can see that the audience were not convinced of the value of the TTIP (Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership). Jean Lambert, Green Party MEP shared the same views. The candidates from the Liberal Democrats, Conservative and Labour voted for TTIP. The Labour candidate did claim earlier in the evening that if it was a different audience, there would be a different reaction.

It has been claimed in Fracking as well. We find that if people learned about it, the majority do not support Fracking or the TTIP. We do know that the Labour Candidate for Manchester, is against Fracking, but does not mention TTIP.

Final vote on whether people would support the TTIP. Blue for Yes. Red for No.

Final vote on whether people would support the TTIP. Blue for Yes. Red for No.

Final vote on whether people would support the TTIP. Blue for Yes. Red for No. Jean Lambert Green MEP is against TTIP.

FINAL VOTE ON EUROPE. Do people prefer to be in Europe or outside of Europe. Majority vote to stay in Europe.